The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-14
MR.. TURPIE'S WAR RECORD.
Venomous Speech Of a Demagogue Dur
ing the Dark Days of the Rebellion.
Fighting Earnestly Against Strengthening
the Hands of the President, and Repeat
ing the SANDERS Of Copperheads.


pie. and he may never be. When he was last
member Of the Senate, as the fitting successor
OF the expelled Jesse D. Bright. he made a record
with which the generation which has since come
on the stage is not familiar. Afew extracts from
his speeches against strengthening the armies
by draft will sufficiently indicate his character
and will at the same time refresh the memories
and interest the soldier element OF Indiana ana
the country The CONSUMPTION bill being under
consideration on the 18th Of February, 1868, Mr.
Turpie said:
'.Mr President, l shall vote against the pend
ing bill; shall vote for it's Indefinite postpone
ment: not because am willing TO strip the exec
utve or the government of any legitimate pow
Ell; not because am willing to slacken for mo-
ment any effort the part Of the Nation for the
suppression Of those now in revolt against its
thority ors because / think the legislation I'M
necessary and unconstitutional"
To Senator Howard he thus expressed his
IDEAS on the restriction on the war power Of tho
governments:
Let the Senator from Michigan consult the
debates which took place at the time of the
formation of the national Constitution-that
Constitution which he processes to regard, and
which, viii say, he is bound to obey. He will
find that at that very time it was there discussed
In that body as to whether the power to enroll
and organize the militia included also the power
to call them into the field. 1t was decided
against his view. He asks il l willing by
my vote 10 place it within the power of the au
thorities OF State to refuse troops. / answer,
am not willing by my vote to place 1t within
the power of the national executive to violate
the Constitution or to take any steps not con-
tempated by those who founded the govern
L xufltt lnotc tnttV ftno
here in the Senate to grant any powers to the
general government not already conferred upon
IL. On the contrary say that if powers to
be given--if additional powers are to be confer
red-they must be granted by the action of the
States according to the Constitution. am aware
that the Senator takes different view. He will
INSIST upon the war power, or upon the war
necessity. Sir do not think the executive has
any more power or should have more
power under the Constitution in time
of war or on account Of war, than he would have
on account of pestilence or famine, or any other
curse with which the country might be afflicted.
NY vote, or the Senator'S, to confer upon the
T ecutive an unconstitutional power would be a
nullity, as the power itself would be usurpa-
- ton.
Mr. Howard must be allowed to correct the
Senator from Indiana. / did not place it upon
She ground OF military necessity. place 1t upon
she plain language of the Constitution, which
declares that Congress shall have power to raise
and support armies. The object of raising aud
supporting armies is to carry on war, sup
noea
Mr. Turpie--I am to believe for any purpose
that it Is necessary 20 take this step The peo-
pie. not the President, will the Republic.
know that the tendency of this measure, its
direct consequences, are disclaimed by Senators
on the other side of the chamber But, sir, let
me tell you-and history will bear me out in the
asserticn-the workman is known by his tools;
the character is defined by the insIrumen taities
made use OF to form il. Let me ask you what
tools have been furnished the present executive
hxvh Me- rutsa l.,
: utive credit for candor for patriotism. for a
love of truth and justice but let me tell you. if,
/under this bill and others like it, the President
OF the United States is not made an absolute
military dictator it will not be account OF any
want of power in him, but on account of his own
indispositon TO claim the status imposed
upon him by those who; have followed
ened and bloody. which have rusted
in France since the days of Danton and
Robespierre, rights and privileges of royalty
which diseraced England in on age prior to
Runnymede; agents at home who would have
made fit turkeys for the bastles and the dun
geons of Venice; and proconsus abroad who
have emulated the example Of Verres, in Sicily,
or Pontius Plate, in Judea--it is with such
tools and with such instrumentalifes that the
executive is to be intrusted; and all this under
disclaimer of any wish to exercise arbitrary
military authority over the peope whose servant
he is. Such disclaimers have been often made
before, but never justified.
"In view Of the whole aninus of the measure.
: In view of the whole spirit and intention,
charge it distinctly upon those who support it,
and especially upon the Senator from Massachu-
sets, who has introduced it. that this bill will
be wrested from its legitimate object; it vii; be
made use of, not to Cypress the public enemy,
but to prosecute and harass political opponents;
;. to crafty party malice to avenge political de-
. feats and fanced political wrongs I speak it,
sir, in view of the responsibilities of my posi-
tion. / speak it in view of tho fact that my
self am liable to the provisions Of it. Being
now father, / may hereafter become con-
script father OF the Rernblic.n
Replying to Henry Wilson, the chairman of
the military committee. who introduced the bill,
Mr.. Turpie said
'Mr President, what was the conduct of tina,
Senator when Douglas livedf What would have
been his conduct had he occupied seat this
floor in the days Of Jackson4 He would have
opposed the old hero at every step. Every Sian
der OF his enemies would have found ready ut
terance from the lips OF the Senator have
aeen characters in and out Of the Senate who I'M
dertook, as the Senator from Massachusetts
does, to conceal the stab which he msditates or
civil liberty in this bill, to conceal tho conspir
Acy which h Q has formed against tho consttu
tional rights of the people. to conceal the evil
OF the present by laudaton OF the worth ant
merit of the past
Had that Senator lived, as he did live in tn,
days of those whom he has named. he woul'
have been found in opposition to them as he i
now In opposition to their principles and thei
doctrines. If he mad lived in the days of Jack
=. son he might probably have spoken we'll o
Washington; he might have praised the Revolu
ton. If he had lived in the DAYS of the Revolu
ton he and his political colleagues would hav
been Tories, true to King George. The,
would have spoken then as fppanty a
they do now of rebels and rebellion. The
would have straneed the gallant Havn
in the prisons Of South Carolina. The
would have offered rewards for the heads 0
Sumter and Marion. They would have sol
their country, like Arnold, for a less price tha
he The Senator would have found nothing i
those days fit subject for his commentators
He would have gone back as far, probably, q